Cranberry Orange Cottage Cheese Scones

Be first to rate this!

Cranberry Orange Cottage Cheese Scones

These Cranberry Orange Scones are buttery and tender, with bright orange zest, tart cranberries, and crisp sugar tops. Cottage cheese adds moisture and extra protein. Use fresh or frozen cranberries, and finish with optional Orange Icing. No mixer or chilling required.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Servings:

Author: Bri Beaudoin

Ingredients

⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest (from 1 large orange)
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed (see note 1)
1¼ cups cottage cheese (see note 2)
1 large egg (fridge cold)
3 tablespoons milk (plus more for brushing)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cups frozen cranberries (see note 3)
coarse sugar (for sprinkling, optional, see note 4)
Orange Icing (optional, see note 5)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat: Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Orange Sugar: In a large bowl, use a fork to mix ⅓ cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest until the sugar is orange throughout.
Dry Ingredients & Butter: Add 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt to the sugar mixture. Mix with a fork until combined. Add 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed. Toss with your fingers to coat in flour, then flatten with your fingertips into thin, irregular pieces. Leave visible butter flakes throughout.
Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, use a fork to mix 1¼ cups cottage cheese, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Mix Dough: Add wet ingredients to dry. Use a fork to mix until about half the flour is moistened, then add 1¼ cups frozen cranberries. Mix gently until a shaggy dough forms. A few floury patches are okay. If the dough is too dry to hold together, add another 1 tablespoon milk (I usually don't need it). Avoid overmixing.
Shape: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into 1 (7-inch) square. Cut the 7-inch square into four smaller squares. Stack all four squares on top of each other. Then gently press back into 1 (7-inch) square. Cut the large square into four squares, then cut each diagonally to make 8 triangles total.
Brush & Bake: Brush the tops with a bit of extra milk. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Transfer scones to the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between scones. Bake for 22 to 25 mins, until golden brown on top and the sides look dry and set (not wet). Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes. If using Orange Icing, let scones cool completely, then drizzle with icing.

Notes

Butter: Unsalted butter is recommended, especially since cottage cheese already contains salt. In a pinch, you can use salted butter.
Cottage Cheese: I recommend 2% or 4% cottage cheese. Brands vary in protein, salt, and moisture content. For consistent results, weigh 300 g. There's no need to blend.
Cranberries:I recommend frozen whole cranberries because they help keep the dough cool and are less likely to stain it. Fresh cranberries should work too—you can freeze them until firm first, if desired. Don't thaw frozen cranberries.
Coarse Sugar: Highly recommended for a sweet, crunchy topping! Turbinado, demerara, or coarse sparkling sugar all work well.
Orange Icing (optional): Make my Easy Orange Icing separately. Drizzle over fully cooled scones. You'll likely have extra icing leftover—great for cookies, muffins, loaves, etc.
Measure by weight, if possible: For best results, weigh ingredients—especially flour. Select "Metric" on the recipe card for weights. No scale? Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour, making scones dry.
Freezing: For best results, freeze unbaked scones. Place shaped scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to an airtight freezer bag for up to 1 month. Bake directly from frozen at 400°F (205°C), brushing with milk and sprinkling with coarse sugar just before baking. Start checking at 20 minutes; frozen scones may need 5 to 10 extra minutes. Alternatively, freeze fully cooled, baked scones without icing. Thaw at room temperature, then warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 10 minutes, if desired. Cool before drizzling with Orange Icing, if using.

Nutrition